Houseplant · Orchidaceae
Jewel Orchid
Ludisia discolor
Grown for its velvet, vein-streaked leaves, the jewel orchid is the rare orchid you keep for the foliage.
Medium indirect
Every 4–9 days
61–84°F · 16–29°C
USDA 10–12
Overview
The jewel orchid breaks the mold of what an orchid is supposed to be. Most orchids climb trees and bloom for the show, but Ludisia discolor lives in the ground and earns its keep with dark, velvety leaves laced with bright veins. The small white flowers it sends up in late autumn are a quiet bonus, not the main event.
It comes from the warm, shaded forest floors of Southeast Asia, and that tells you most of what it wants at home. Give it the dappled, indirect light of its native understory, steady warmth, and damp air, and it spreads slowly across the pot on a creeping stem. This is an easy plant to keep, which makes it a good first orchid for anyone put off by the fussier kinds.
The one thing it won't forgive is wet feet. The same creeping stem that makes it spread will rot fast if the mix stays soggy, so the whole job comes down to keeping it moist without ever letting it sit in water.
Care
The short version: medium indirect light, warmth between 61°F and 84°F (16°C to 29°C), and high humidity. Keep the mix evenly moist but never soggy, water in the morning, and feed lightly through the growing season.
Light
Give it medium indirect light, the kind of bright, filtered shade it would get on a forest floor. It tolerates low light and brighter indirect spots too, but direct sun scorches the soft leaves and dulls their color.
Water
Keep the mix evenly moist but never soggy, watering every 4 to 9 days as the top dries. Use tepid water in the morning so the foliage dries before night, since wet leaves and a wet base are how rot gets started.
Soil
Plant it in a well-drained, moisture-retentive mix made for houseplants or terrestrial orchids, such as potting mix or fine fir bark blended with sphagnum. Skip the coarse bark used for tree-dwelling orchids, and aim for a slightly acidic pH of 5.5 to 6.5.
Temperature
It's happiest in ordinary room warmth, somewhere between 61°F and 84°F (16°C to 29°C). Keep it away from cold drafts and chilly windows in winter.
Humidity
This is a humidity lover, wanting 50% to 80%. Set it on a pebble tray, group it with other plants, or run a humidifier in a dry room, and pair the damp air with good airflow to keep leaf spots away.
Feeding
Through the growing season from spring to autumn, feed weekly with a balanced or orchid fertilizer cut to a quarter or half strength. Ease off through the darker months when growth slows.
Pruning
There's very little to do here. Trim spent flower spikes once blooming ends, and pull off any damaged or spotted leaves to keep the plant tidy and the air moving around it.
Repotting
Repot every 1 to 2 years, or whenever the creeping rhizome starts trailing over the pot edge and the mix breaks down into a soggy mess. A shallow, wide pot suits its spreading habit far better than a deep one.
Size & spacing
It stays small, reaching only 6 to 12 inches (15 to 30 cm) tall with a spread of 8 to 12 inches (20 to 30 cm). The slow, sideways growth makes it an easy fit for a desk, shelf, or terrarium.
Troubleshooting
Almost every problem with a jewel orchid traces back to water, either too much in the pot or too long on the leaves. Catch the early signs and the fix is simple. Match what you see below and act before the rot spreads.
Soft, blackened stems and a plant that falls apart
This is rot, and it almost always comes from a mix that stays too wet. Once the creeping rhizome turns soft and smells sour, lift the plant, cut away every blackened piece with a clean blade, and repot into fresh, fast-draining mix. Water less from then on and make sure the pot can drain freely.
Fix:
- Remove the plant and cut away all rotted tissue with a clean blade
- Repot into fresh, well-drained mix
- Reduce watering frequency and ensure the pot drains freely
Spots and blemishes marking the velvety leaves
Leaf spotting shows up when water sits on the foliage overnight or the air around the plant goes still. Water in the morning with tepid water so the leaves dry by dusk, and keep some air moving past the plant. Try not to wet the leaves at all when you water.
Fix:
- Water in the morning with tepid water so leaves dry before night
- Improve air circulation around the plant
- Avoid wetting the foliage when watering
Toxicity
Good news for a home with pets: the jewel orchid is non-toxic to cats, dogs, and the rest of the household menagerie. The ASPCA lists it as safe, so a nibbled leaf is nothing to fear. About the worst that can happen is a little stomach upset if a pet eats a large amount.
Safe for
People · Cats · Dogs · Horses · Rabbits · Livestock · Birds
Cats None
The ASPCA lists this orchid as non-toxic to cats. A curious cat that nibbles a leaf is in no danger, though a big mouthful of any houseplant can bring on a little drooling or a brief upset stomach.
Dogs None
It's safe for dogs as well. There's no poison to worry about, and the worst a determined chewer might face is some mild, passing stomach upset from the plant fiber itself.
Horses Safe
Horses can graze near this plant without harm. It carries no toxins known to affect them.
Rabbits Safe
Rabbits face no risk from the leaves or stems. The plant is safe if a pet rabbit takes a taste.
Livestock Safe
Cattle, goats, and sheep can be around it safely, since none of its parts hold anything harmful to grazing animals.
Birds Safe
Pet birds are fine near this orchid. It poses no toxic threat, even to a bird that picks at a leaf.
People Safe
The plant is safe to have around children. It isn't grown to be eaten, but a leaf in a toddler's mouth is no cause for alarm.
No special handling hazards; ingestion of large amounts of plant material may still cause mild stomach upset in pets.
Varieties
Ludisia is usually sold just as the jewel orchid, but a couple of named forms turn up, set apart by the color of their leaves and veins.
'Nigrescens'
Its velvety leaves run so dark they look near black, crossed by bright red-pink veins that seem to glow against them.
'Alba'
This one keeps a softer look, with lighter green leaves traced by silvery-white veins instead of red.
How to propagate
Few orchids are this easy to multiply. The creeping stem that spreads across the pot is also your supply of new plants, whether you take a cutting or split a clump in two.
Stem cuttingsEasy
Spring to summer during active growth · 4-8 weeks to root
The easiest way to make more is from a stem cutting, taken in spring or summer while the plant is growing. Cut a length of the creeping rhizome with a few nodes on it, lay it on moist mix, and it takes root on its own over the next 4 to 8 weeks.
DivisionEasy
Spring, at repotting · 4-8 weeks
You can also split a full clump when you repot in spring. Pull the rhizome apart into pieces, making sure each piece keeps its own roots and growing stems, and pot them up to settle in over the next 4 to 8 weeks.
Myths
Jewel orchids need coarse bark like every other orchid.
Most orchids cling to trees, but Ludisia discolor grows in the ground. It wants a moisture-retentive, well-drained mix, the soil-like kind or fine bark blended with sphagnum, not the chunky bark you'd use for a moth orchid.
Orchids are poisonous to cats and dogs.
The ASPCA lists the jewel orchid, and orchids in general, as non-toxic to cats and dogs. A pet that nibbles a leaf is in no danger, though a large mouthful of any plant can cause brief stomach upset.